Clipping in my mixes

DarraghR

Hello. I have had a DJM 400 and pair of CDJ 400s for nearly 5 years. Every time I go to record a 1hr set the mixing just isn't up to scratch professionally.

The main problem is matching the speed of the tracks there is just a nasty clipping sound all the time and both tracks go out of sync in the space of 5 seconds.

An experienced friend told me that the levels on a DJM 400 need to be in the green and also that the Mid probably needs to be lowered. After applying both I am still having issues.
I have watched so many tutorial videos about beat matching and riding the pitch.

About 2 years after I got my CDJs someone spilled a drink onto it. The platter is a bit stiff but still functioning. just wondering if the pitch may have been affected or something.

Frustration is really kicking in as I spend a lot of time making a good set list but cant produce a quality version to upload online.

You can find a mix I did from 2012 on Soundcloud so maybe somebody can tell me if im doing something wrong. Username is darraghr

mordeith

DarraghR wrote: »

The main problem is matching the speed of the tracks there is just a nasty clipping sound all the time and both tracks go out of sync in the space of 5 seconds.

Does this come through over your speakers or just on the final recorded mix (I'm assuming youe are recording into a laptop)

DarraghR wrote: »

just wondering if the pitch may have been affected or something.

Do you notice the pitch changing if you are just playing a single track or ar you saying it goes out of sync after you've beatmatched them? Do you think the pitch is changing on a particular deck or both?

DarraghR

Im mixing with headphones and no monitor or speaker. Yes my overall mix

Never noticed my BPM counter changing. Pretty sure im having the same problem mixing from both. When mixing a track into another I usually leave the low all the way down

mordeith

DarraghR wrote: »

Im mixing with headphones and no monitor or speaker. Yes my overall mix

Never noticed my BPM counter changing. Pretty sure im having the same problem mixing from both. When mixing a track into another I usually leave the low all the way down

Right so you're taking the master out and recording into a laptop I guess. First thing I'd do is lower the Master level down and adjust the recording input on your laptop. What software are you using to record?

As for the sync isssue, if you are mixing with headphones only it can be difficult to hear the tracks properly. Not being a dick here but are you sure you are getting the tempos synced properly? The visual BPM counters aren't always accurate.

milltown

No offence, just want to be sure we're not missing anything obvious here:
Does your laptop have a line in for recording? Or are you using a soundcard? Can we presume you're not recording into the microphone of the laptop?

Download Audacity (if you don't have it) and check your levels with that rather than the lights on the mixer. Try recording at a few different levels to see where you get a clean signal.

If you're happy that your beatmatching technique is right, doing it by ear rather than what the CDJ or mixer tells you, I'd definitely buy a can of Servisol switch cleaner and give the pitch sliders a good clean. It's possible that there's residue left on there from the spillage which could affect the accuracy of the pitch.
As Mordeith said, BPM counters are not accurate or reliable enough to be used for mixing with. They might get you in the ball park but you need to match by ear.

DarraghR

I previously used Ableton but using Audacity now as the sound quality is pretty much the same. Im recording on a 2010 Mac Book Pro 17". My mixer levels are in the green and same with Audacity.

I have tried using the counters and mixing by ear with the same results from both. Surely I should hear a clean mix through my headphones better than speakers. Every mix I have to keep nudging the jog wheel forward or back to keep things in sync which makes using the EQs quite hard and gives me little time.

milltown wrote: »

No offence, just want to be sure we're not missing anything obvious here:
I'd definitely buy a can of Servisol switch cleaner and give the pitch sliders a good clean. It's possible that there's residue left on there from the spillage which could affect the accuracy of the pitch.

I bought some to free u the job wheel but never applied it to the pitch so will give that a bash. Thanks

mordeith

DarraghR wrote: »

Surely I should hear a clean mix through my headphones better than speakers. Every mix I have to keep nudging the jog wheel forward or back to keep things in sync which makes using the EQs quite hard and gives me little time.

If you're taking about sound quality then maybe, but when it comes to actual mixing you need speakers to hear the main track that's playing and use your headphones to monitor the track you're cueing. That way you can hear if it's beatmatched properly before you actual touch the crossfader or levels. Again apologies if I'm misinterpreting here

DarraghR

Ok so its not possible to have a track in sync unless you listen to track 1 on speakers and track 2 on headphones? Its just ive spent 3 minutes trying to mix a track in and see if it will keep in sync but every time it hops out of beat. Heading into a radio station next week to get some help. I really just dont get what im doing wrong :P

mordeith

DarraghR wrote: »

Ok so its not possible to have a track in sync unless you listen to track 1 on speakers and track 2 on headphones? Its just ive spent 3 minutes trying to mix a track in and see if it will keep in sync but every time it hops out of beat. Heading into a radio station next week to get some help. I really just dont get what im doing wrong :P

It's possible, just a bit harder to seperate the two tracks on headphones only.

Right Turn Clyde

I've read and re-read this thread a number of times and I still have no idea what the OP is talking about. I'm not trying to be smart.

The tracks won't stay in sync? Are they beat-matched correctly?

DarraghR

So no matter how much time I took to make sure the tracks were beat matched both tracks would always start to go out of sync.

With both CDJs set to +10 everything was hopping out of place in the space of 5 seconds so decided to set one to +10 which you can adjust in 0.05s and then the other to +6 with 0.02. This seems to have helped a lot. Both tracks stayed in time for about 20 seconds. Im only after just trying this with two tracks and im on the way to bed so will mess around again tomorrow

DarraghR

By the way thanks for all the help and advice from everyone. I can tell this post was a bit confusing and not explained properly on my end :P

Right Turn Clyde

DarraghR wrote: »

By the way thanks for all the help and advice from everyone. I can tell this post was a bit confusing and not explained properly on my end :P

Don't worry about it.

Get two copies of the same track. Put the pitch control on both decks to zero. Beatmatch them correctly and then see what happens. If they still drift out of sync then there's something wrong with the pitch control on one of the decks.

was.deevey

you using CD's or USB's (to rule out format/drive issues).

Do you get the nasty clipping sound on the master if you move the pitch up and down with only a single cdj with the pitch fader being moved or only with both in the mix at the same time ?

Have you tried recording from the master or booth output on the mixer (in case its the Rec out causing issues).

DarraghR

Put the same tracks on and they mixed fine so pitch is in working order.

Having one track at +10 and the other at +6 seems to have done the job with most of the mixes. Is it common to have seperate settings for the tempo? Mixing 140 trance by the way

Right Turn Clyde

DarraghR wrote: »

Is it common to have seperate settings for the tempo?

Is this the bit where Jeremy Beadle walks in?

mordeith

DarraghR wrote: »

Put the same tracks on and they mixed fine so pitch is in working order.

Having one track at +10 and the other at +6 seems to have done the job with most of the mixes. Is it common to have seperate settings for the tempo? Mixing 140 trance by the way

Ok, ignoring the tempo question :eek:.
When you mixed the same track had you the pitch at zero? If so then try it again and adjust the pitch on both tracks up or down by the same amount and see if it holds steady on both decks (just in case there is a problem when the pitch is not at zero)

Saucy McKetchup

I'm thinking the OP always has moth mixers set to the same tempo which answers his problems, sorry OP but you've been doing it wrong for years

DarraghR

Tried the same tracks at different speeds. Definitely no fault with the pitch.

Saucy McKetchup wrote: »

I'm thinking the OP always has moth mixers set to the same tempo which answers his problems, sorry OP but you've been doing it wrong for years

Moth mixers?

Saucy McKetchup

Both cdj's that should say

DarraghR

Uploaded a new mix to Soundcloud would appreciate feedback. Have a scan through no need to listen to the lot just want to know how I could improve my mixing.

Scott Lowe - Torn (Paul Denton Remix)
Brian Flinn - Ultra Violet (Original Mix)
Aly - Brilliant People (Mark Sherry Remix)
David Gravell - Melbourne (Original Mix)
Aly - Mother Nature (Bryan Kearney Remix)
Binary Finary - Waiting For The Sun (James Dymond Remix)
Neelix feat. Jenita Spirtovic - Born
Empirion - Narcotic Influence (John Askew Remix)
Xgenic - Ignition (Dark Mix)
Gareth Emery Feat. Bo Bruce - U (Bryan Kearney Remix)
Armin van Buuren - Ping Pong (Simon Patterson Remix)
Darren Porter - Terraforming (Original Mix)

Cant post links on here so my Soundcloud is darraghr